


We Have to go Back

by Flowing_River



Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Abandonment Issues, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Missions Gone Wrong, Nightmares, Past Child Abandonment, as usual, mac gets hurt, of course, random bad guys chasing the team
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2019-06-20
Packaged: 2020-05-15 12:11:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19295479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flowing_River/pseuds/Flowing_River
Summary: Mac breaks his leg during a mission. How will the team escape the people who are chasing them while Mac is injured?





	We Have to go Back

**Author's Note:**

> I hope y'all like it!

Jack should have heard it. One second, He and Mac were fighting off the guards from the facility they had broken into and the next, Mac was lying on the floor. Jack quickly knocked out the last guard and ran over to Mac. Riley was already kneeling next to him.

"Mac? Mac what's wrong?" Jack asked.

He didn't see any bullet wounds or any blood coming from Mac, but the fact that Mac wasn't getting up told him something was wrong.

Mac gasped, "My leg..."

Jack glanced at his leg, it looked normal but he knew that didn't mean anything.

"I'm going to check your leg okay?"

Mac nodded, clenching his eyes closed.

_He must be in a lot of pain to show it on his face and admit that he's hurt._

Jack gently ran his hand down Mac's leg, feeling the break in his femur. When Jack touched it, Mac cried out, flinching away.

"Shh...you have to be quiet Mac, they're still looking for us."

Jack hated having to say that to Mac, but they hadn't taken out all the guards and the last thing they needed was the guards finding them while Mac was injured. He doubted that the guards would just shoot them, they would probably be taken back to the compound and be "introduced" to the leader. And since they were dealing weapons to terrorists, that was not an option.

_At least the forest is giving us some cover..._

Jack had complained about hiking through the forest to get to the compound, but now he couldn't be more glad for the tall trees.

_I'll have to carry Mac out, there's no way he can walk on that leg._

Jack told Mac his plan. Mac nodded,

"You need to make a splint for my leg," he said.

Jack nodded, turning to look for long branches, but then froze when he heard voices. He turned back towards Mac and Riley.

"We have to go now," he whispered.

He reached for Mac, but Mac pushed his hands away.

"You have to leave me here," Mac whispered.

"What? No. We're not leaving you behind."

"You have too. I'll just be a burden."

"No you won't. I'm not leaving you behind."

"If you carry me, you won't be able to fight anyone who attacks you or use your gun. And Riley can't carry me."

"We can hide, I won't need to fight anyone," Jack said glancing at Riley.

She's peeking over the bush they're hiding behind. 

"We have to go," she mouths at them.

_She can't hear what Mac's saying._

"Mac-"

"You know what I'm saying is right...you won't be able to hide if you carry me. Just leave me here, I'll hide until they pass and then you can come back to get me," Mac whispered.

Jack knew what Mac was actually saying _Leave me here, get yourself to safety. It doesn't matter what happens to me..._

"Mac-"

"Go, I'll be fine. Promise me you'll keep Riley safe," Mac said.

Jack didn't believe him, but he knew, once again, what Mac was saying. _Riley needs you to keep her safe. I've survived worse._

Despite every instinct telling him not to leave Mac, Jack knew what Mac was saying was right. Riley didn't have enough training to survive if they were attacked and Jack was occupied with Mac. As much as he hated it Jack got up,

"I'll come back for you, I promise...don't do anything stupid without me," he said.

That got a smile out of Mac, "I'll be waiting."

Jack hoped that Mac actually believed that they would come back after taking care of all the guards. He grabbed Riley's arm and ran off with her...away from Mac... 

 

Riley didn't hear Mac and Jack's full conversation, but she heard enough to know what was happening.

_We're leaving Mac behind._

She knew they were going back after finding a way to get rid of the guards, but did Mac know that? Right now, they were watching the men search all the men that Mac and Jack had left unconscious.

_Please don't find Mac...please don't find him..._

Even though she didn't know Mac for that long, she still cared for him. He had helped so many people including her that she couldn't imagine not caring for him. And after everything Jack had told her about him...she couldn't help but admire him. She remembered that day like it was yesterday, Jack had pulled her aside after she had visited Mac's house for the first time.

 

_"What is it?"_

_Riley couldn't believe that Jack still remembered her and cared about her. Now she knew he was CIA, it made sense that he had to leave, to protect them. But it still hurt and she wasn't ready to forgive him yet._

_"I know you're still angry with me and you have every reason to be angry. I really am sorry for everything and I know you might not forgive me just yet."_

_"Then what do you want to talk to me about?"_

_"I don't want you to take that anger out on Mac...he's been through a lot lately, actually he's always going though a lot. You know when I met him, we didn't get along. But when I got to know him, he reminded me a lot of you. And that's when I swore I wasn't going to make the same mistake twice, and I wasn't ever going to leave him. He's had a lot of people leave him behind and I wasn't going to be another one of those people."_

_Riley's expression softened, she knew he had been shot and he thought his girlfriend was dead. But if Jack thought he was like her, he must have gone through a lot._

_"Did his father...?" she tried asking knowing Jack would understand._

_Jack shook his head, "He said his father wasn't around a lot, he basically lived by himself, until his father left for good. He went to live with his grandfather after that."_

_"And his mom?"_

_"She died when he was 5. He never told me how."_

_"I would have never known..." And she thought she could always tell if someone had a terrible father._

_"He's real good at keeping his feelings to himself. No matter what he's going through, he'll keep it to himself._

_Riley understood what Jack meant when he said they were similar. She used to hide her feeling too, but she had gotten better at that, thanks to Jack._

_"You get what I'm trying to say?" Jack asked._

_She nodded, "I won't say anything to Mac, if I want to take my anger out on someone I'll call you," she said with a smile._

_She expected Jack to fake outrage or anger, but instead he just sighed in relief._

He really cares about Mac. And he's such a good person, he deserves to have Jack around. 

_She knew that Jack had made some mistakes, but he had the right intentions. And no matter what she said, she was glad he was around again._

 

Riley turned her attention back to the guards. They were moving closer and closer to the bush Mac was hiding under.

_No, no, no, please don't look there..._

Riley couldn't breath as they stepped even closer. She knew if they found Mac, there was no way Jack could fight all of them off. There were too many of them. Jack pulled out his gun anyway, getting ready. Riley sighed when they steeped away from the bush. Then they started coming towards them. Riley knew they had to move,

_I wish they started looking in the other direction, so we could get back to Mac._

But, of course, they're luck would never allow that. She could see the pain in Jack's eyes when they ran further away from Mac. She could just hope Mac would have faith in them and wait because they were going back for him.

 

Mac held still after Jack and Riley left. He was glad Jack had listened to him even though it hurt that Jack had left. He knew Jack was coming back because he had seen the pain in his eyes at having to leave him behind.

_This is the best for us. If they find me, they'll be safe._

It would keep Mac sane knowing that Jack and Riley were safe no matter what happened to him. 

Still, he would try and stay quiet. He didn't want the guards to find him because he knew he couldn't fight them off. His leg throbbed, but if he stayed still, he could keep himself quiet. He had been through worse pain then a broken leg. 

Mac concentrated on holding still when he heard footsteps. He didn't move a muscle, practically holding his breath until the footsteps faded. He sighed in relief, but still didn't move. It would hurt too much to move and he wouldn't be able to hide quickly if the guards came back. He hoped Jack was coming back soon because he was tired and his leg hurt.

Mac lay there for hours, waiting. By now it was dark, but still there was no sign of Riley or Jack. He was tired, hungry, and thirsty but his leg hurt too much to move. Eventually he fell asleep in the darkness, hoping that he would be woken up by Jack...

 

Riley walked behind Jack while he traced his steps back towards Mac. They had finally gotten the guards off there trail, but now it was dark. Jack couldn't risk a flashlight, so they were having a hard time finding there way back. But Jack hadn't given up, they kept walking, stopping occasionally for water.

_Mac hasn't eaten or drunk anything for hours..._

She wished the guards hadn't stumbled upon them earlier, so they would have had more time to think things through. 

_It was a terrible plan, but it was the best plan they had at the time._

Finally, Riley saw the shape of the familiar bush, Mac was hidden under. Jack rushed to it kneeling next to it and looking for Mac.

_Please be there..._

"Riley, come help me with him," Jack said.

Riley sighed in relief and ran over to them. Mac's eyes were closed and he was breathing deeply. He looked tense and there were lines of pain on his face. It took a few minutes, but Mac woke up to Riley's relief. She and Jack quickly splinted Mac's leg and Jack picked him up. They were finally going to go home...

 

The next time Mac woke up was in medical. He was confused for a second before remembering what happened. The guard with the baton, Jack and Riley having to leave him behind, and them coming back for him. Mac could feel tears running down his face,

_They came back, they didn't leave me there._

Immediately Jack was next to him wiping the tears off his face,

"I promised you, I won't leave you behind. Don't forget that."

Mac nodded trying to move. He was stopped by his leg flaring up in pain. He gasped.

"Take it easy, you have a small fracture in your leg. You'll be fine in no time, now get some sleep."

"Thanks Jack."

Jack smiled, "Of course Mac."

 

_Mac was back in the forest, lying on the ground by himself. He stayed still as he heard footsteps getting closer and closer. It was the guards. They dragged him out from his hiding spot. He cried out as his leg caught on a few rocks. They ignored him._

_"What should we do with this one?"_

_Mac tried crawling away, but he was stopped by someone putting a boot down on his back._

_"Where are you trying to go?"_

_Mac shivered, he was cold and his leg throbbed. The guards continued discussing what to do with him,_

_"He's useless. He can't even walk. We should just leave him here and let him die."_

No, no, no, Jack where are you? Please help me...

_Mac heard a new voice, Jack's voice._

_"You're right, he is useless. He's always getting injured and I always have to look after him. He can't even take care of himself, I mean how does someone break there leg while fighting. I thought you could do better then that," Jack sneers._

_"Jack, please help me...don't leave me..."_

_"Look how pathetic he is, begging like that. No wonder everyone leaves you behind."_

_And then Jack left and he was alone, all alone._

Please don't leave me...please come back...

 

Mac gasped when Jack shook him awake. We looked at Jack wide eyed,

"Please don't leave me..."

_He must have had a nightmare where I didn't come back..._

"I'm right here. I'm not going to leave you."

"They found me," he sobbed, "And then you were there and you said that you hated me and I was just a burden. And you left and I was all alone. Please don't leave Jack."

Jack knew the pain meds were making Mac more talkative because he never would have admitted what he was dreaming about on a normal day.

"I would never do that Mac. I will never hate you or think you are a burden. And I will never leave you behind. I love you so much and I would never say or do any of those things."

Mac stared at him, wide eyed, "You really mean that," he asked.

"Of course," Jack said, pulling Mac into a gentle hug.

And when Mac relaxed and fell into a deep sleep, Jack knew he was going to be okay...

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment!


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